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Workshop Title: Spooky Tales and Adventures
Age Group: 8-12 years
Duration: 2 hours
Objective: To explore and create Halloween-themed stories using various drama techniques, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
Materials: Props (hats, masks, cloaks), space for movement, sound system for music/effects
Workshop Outline:
1. Warm-Up: Monster Moves (10 mins)
- Instructions: Children move around the space, transforming into different creatures when the music changes.
- Suggestions: Use various music types to represent different creatures (e.g., slow music for zombies, fast for witches).
2. Introduction to Characters and Dilemmas (10 mins)
- Instructions: Introduce the characters and dilemmas using visual aids or brief enactments.
- Suggestions: Use props or costumes to make the introduction engaging and visually stimulating.
3. Mime Activity: Invisible Challenges (15 mins)
- Instructions: In pairs, children mime a given character dealing with their dilemma without using words.
- Suggestions: Ensure clarity in miming by emphasizing exaggerated movements and expressions.
4. Improvisation: Spooky Scenarios (20 mins)
- Instructions: Divide into small groups. Each group picks a character, dilemma, and scenario to create a short improvised scene.
- Suggestions: Encourage children to resolve dilemmas creatively and ensure each character has a role in the scene.
5. Soundscape: Creepy Forest Adventure (15 mins)
- Instructions: Children create sounds using their voices and bodies to represent elements of a creepy forest.
- Suggestions: Guide them by mentioning specific elements (e.g., rustling leaves, hooting owls) and demonstrate the sounds.
6. Still Image & Thought-Tracking: Character Reflections (15 mins)
- Instructions: Groups create a still image of a chosen scenario and use thought-tracking to vocalize characters’ inner thoughts.
- Suggestions: Ensure that each character’s thoughts are explored and encourage expressive vocalization.
7. Teacher in Role: Guided Story Creation (20 mins)
- Instructions: As a mystical storyteller, guide children through a story, pausing at key moments for them to enact scenes or solve problems.
- Suggestions: Use open-ended questions and challenges to encourage creative input and decision-making from the children.
8. Conscience Alley: Moral Dilemmas (15 mins)
- Instructions: Present a moral dilemma related to a character. Children form an alley and voice opposing views as the character walks through.
- Suggestions: Ensure that the dilemma allows for diverse opinions and encourage respectful listening.
9. Reflection and Sharing (10 mins)
- Instructions: Form a circle and invite children to share their favorite moments or what they learned.
- Suggestions: Use a ‘talking stick’ method where only the person with the stick (or another object) speaks to ensure order.
10. Cool Down: Gentle Ghost Drift (10 mins)
- Instructions: Children move slowly and gently around the space, gradually slowing down to a complete stop and closing their eyes for a brief relaxation moment.
- Suggestions: Use calming music and a gentle voice to guide the cool-down, ensuring a peaceful end to the workshop.
Characters:
- Wendy the Worried Witch
- Gary the Friendly Ghost
- Vicky the Vegan Vampire
- Marty the Misunderstood Monster
- Zara the Zany Zombie
- Percy the Peculiar Pumpkin
- Sally the Shy Skeleton
- Bobby the Boisterous Bat
- Wally the Wise Werewolf
- Maggie the Magical Mummy
Dilemmas:
- Lost Magic Wand: Wendy the Witch can’t find her magic wand right before the big spell competition.
- Ghostly Visibility: Gary the Ghost is suddenly visible to humans on Halloween night.
- Bloodless Feast: Vicky the Vampire discovers all her food is mysteriously turned into fruits and vegetables.
- Unscary Roar: Marty the Monster loses his scary roar just before the Monster Parade.
- Slow-Moving Zombie: Zara the Zombie becomes extremely slow and can’t catch up with her zombie friends.
- Carved Too Early: Percy the Pumpkin is carved too early and worries he won’t last until Halloween.
- Broken Bones: Sally the Skeleton falls and breaks a bone, which won’t stay fixed.
- Daylight Bat: Bobby the Bat can’t fall asleep and stays awake during the day.
- Human on Full Moon: Wally the Werewolf turns into a human on a full moon night.
- Unraveling Bandages: Maggie the Mummy’s bandages start unraveling during a Halloween party.
Scenarios:
- Haunted House Party: The characters are invited to a party in a haunted house and must navigate through spooky surprises.
- Potion Making Contest: Characters participate in a potion-making contest, but the main ingredient is missing.
- Halloween Costume Malfunction: During a Halloween parade, everyone’s costumes start falling apart or changing.
- Trick-or-Treat Mix-Up: The characters accidentally switch bags and receive items that cause peculiar effects.
- Escape the Enchanted Forest: The characters must find their way out of an enchanted forest filled with magical obstacles.
- Rescue from the Witch’s Tower: One character is trapped in a tower and others must rescue them without using magic.
- The Ghostly Carnival: The characters visit a carnival where the ghostly rides have a mind of their own.
- Pumpkin Patch Adventure: The characters explore a pumpkin patch where the pumpkins come alive at midnight.
- Monster Talent Show: The characters participate in a talent show where their abilities get swapped.
- Vampire’s Birthday Bash: The characters plan a surprise birthday party for a vampire, ensuring all details are vampire-friendly.
